Cutler Formation facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cutler Formation Stratigraphic range: Early Permian
Cutler Formation near the type locality, Portland, Ouray County, Colorado
Type	Geological formation
Sub-units	De Chelly Sandstone, White Rim Sandstone, Organ Rock Shale, Cedar Mesa Sandstone, Elephant Canyon Formation, Halgaito Shale
Underlies	Chinle Formation
Lithology
Primary	Iron-rich arkose sandstone
Location
Coordinates	38.096°N 107.702°W / 38.096; -107.702
Approximate paleocoordinates	0.7°N 36.1°W / 0.7; -36.1
Region	Colorado Plateau
Country	United States
Extent	Arizona Colorado New Mexico Utah
Type section
Named for	Cutler Creek, north of Ouray, Co
Named by	Cross & Howe
Year defined	1905

The Cutler Formation or Cutler Group is a rock unit that is spread across the U.S. states of Arizona, northwest New Mexico, southeast Utah and southwest Colorado. It was laid down in the Early Permian during the Wolfcampian stage. Its subunits, therefore, are variously called formations or members depending on the publication. Members (youngest to oldest):

• De Chelly Sandstone (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah)
• White Rim Sandstone (Utah)
• Organ Rock Shale (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah)
• Cedar Mesa Sandstone (Arizona, Utah)
• Elephant Canyon Formation (Utah)
• Halgaito Shale (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah)-(oldest)

Extent

There is no designated type locality for the Cutler. It was named by Cross and Howe in 1905 after Cutler Creek, which enters Uncompahgre River about 4 miles north of Ouray, Colorado. Baker and Reeside revised Cross and Howe's work in 1929 by dividing the formation into the Halgaito Tongue (base), Cedar Mesa Sandstone Member, Organ Rock Tongue, and White Rim Sandstone Member. Cutler's geographic extent was established by Wood and Northrop in 1946. In 1958 Wengerd and Matheny raised the formation to group rank.

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  Cutler and Chinle formations in Lisbon Valley, San Juan County, Utah

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  Cedar Mesa Sandstone overlaying Organ Rock Shale, Canyonlands, Utah

Geology

Cutler outcrops are found in these geologic locations in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

• Black Mesa Basin
• Paradox Basin
• Piceance Basin
• San Juan Mountains province
• San Juan Basin
• Uinta Basin